Charlie Alford

Mbappé wins World Cup golden boot and overtakes Messi as top scorer

Post author:Alaa Shamali
Post published:20 July 2026
Post last modified:20 July 2026

Kylian Mbappé has etched his name in the annals of world football in letters of gold, having been crowned top scorer of the 2026 World Cup with 10 goals, becoming the first player in the tournament’s history to win the Golden Boot twice, before adding another, even more significant achievement by climbing to the top of the all-time World Cup goalscorers’ list with 22 goals, overtaking Lionel Messi. For the France captain, this was not merely another individual accolade, but a historic moment that ended a record which had stood since the first World Cup in 1930, and redrew the map…

Water failure now top threat to UK – where’s the institutional panic?

Post author:Skwawkbox
Post published:18 July 2026
Post last modified:18 July 2026

After decades of under-investment by greedy private water companies, the failure of the UK’s water supply is now the top threat to the UK, alongside a new pandemic. Norwich MP, Clive Lewis, pointed out the news, which he said should “keep you awake at night”. So! “The @UKLabour govt’s National Risk Register now ranks losing our drinking water alongside a PANDEMIC as one of the two biggest threats facing the country” AND @andyburnham @EmmaforWycombe still insist that the private (and bankrupt ) Water Companies are the only solution https://t.co/gqWF1ZyiP7 — Allan Williams (@allanwales2) July 17, 2026 Lewis is right. The 2026…

So much for Number 10 North – top government roles dominated by southerners

Post author:The Canary
Post published:16 July 2026
Post last modified:16 July 2026

With evidence mounting daily that Andy Burham’s regime will be absolute continuity nonsense with a mild northern accent, research shows just how thin the veneer of north-ness might be. Ahead of Burnham creating Number 10 North, the Sutton Trust has released analysis of its Elitist Britain 2025 report. It shows that people who grew up in London and the South East dominate the key roles making decisions that affect all our lives. Half of all top government officials got their education in London and the South East. Almost a third went to private schools in those regions. This includes 50% of…

Geraldine Coggins from the Green Party comes out on top in mayoral hustings

Post author:Maddison Wheeldon
Post published:9 July 2026
Post last modified:9 July 2026

The Manchester Evening News (MEN) hosted a hustings debate for the mayoral candidates in Greater Manchester, scoring the candidates on how well they commanded the room, how comfortable they were facing questions, and who presented strong arguments for their political parties. It also graded people on their ability to save face answering the toughest questions and exposed how some of the candidates are just not up to the task of being a political leader. With the Green Party’s Geraldine Coggins coming out on top, and the Reform candidate just behind her, it really does seem that the race will be between…

England — one of the top candidates for the 2026 World Cup

Post author:Alaa Shamali
Post published:7 June 2026
Post last modified:9 June 2026

As the 2026 World Cup approaches in North America (USA, Canada, Mexico), England enters the list of serious contenders to win the title for the first time since 1966. This assessment relies on a strong combination of exceptional talent, tactical preparation under Thomas Tuchel’s leadership, a perfect qualifying record, and statistical expectations. Despite a long history of “disappointments” in the knockout stages, the English team appears more balanced and mature this time. The golden generation The English national team possesses one of the strongest squads in the world, combining experience with explosive youth: Attack: Harry Kane (Captain and historical top scorer)…

Let’s explore why central bankers’ top reserve asset is not US debt anymore

Post author:Nandita Lal
Post published:5 June 2026
Post last modified:9 June 2026

Globally, central banks now hold 27% of their reserve assets in gold, surpassing US dollar Treasuries at 22%, and just a year ago this was 20% gold versus 25% Treasuries, according to the latest report by the European Central Bank. In 2023, gold’s share was just 16%. Since the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022, China has purchased over 350 tonnes of gold, followed by Poland (320 tonnes), Türkiye (220 tonnes) and India (130 tonnes), according to the ECB, as geopolitical tensions continued to drive strong central bank demand for gold. According to the FT: The shifting composition of reserve assets — highly…

Boris offered a “top five job” to back remaining in EU before he ultimately ran for leader

Post author:Maddison Wheeldon
Post published:3 June 2026
Post last modified:9 June 2026

In a new BBC documentary, Boris Johnson revealed that David Cameron offered him a “top five job” during a tennis match to secure his support for remaining in the EU. Cameron, PM at the time, apparently wanted Boris to know that he: valued his contribution, that he would be a major party of the government going forward. Apparently, Cameron returned from the tennis match feeling “doubly good” after beating Johnson and believing he had appealed to his career ambitions. Nevertheless, Cameron was quickly outmanoeuvred when the then-London Mayor announced — “after a huge amount of heartache” — that he would support…

The Canary tracks the Top 7 contenders for the 2026 World Cup title

Post author:Alaa Shamali
Post published:29 May 2026
Post last modified:8 June 2026

With only a few days to go before the start of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the features of the main contenders competing for the global title have begun to take a clearer shape. This comes amid an exceptional struggle between two generations: the generation of legends approaching the final curtain of their careers, led by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, and the new dominant generation led by Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, and Vinícius Júnior. The Canary has identified the top 7 teams leading the title expectations, considering the quality of names, stability, and recent…

‘Top’ French media pundits can’t name three living Chinese people

Post author:Cameron Baillie
Post published:29 May 2026
Post last modified:8 June 2026

This is genuinely incredible and says SO SO MUCH about the perception of China in the West. This is the #1 news show in France, and the host – David Pujadas – asks the pundits around the table (a sample of the top media figures in France) if they can name 3 living Chinese… pic.twitter.com/gkkWxTKfni — Arnaud Bertrand (@RnaudBertrand) May 29, 2026 This selection of French media pundits was offered a simple challenge: name three living Chinese people. As you’d expect, a familiar response came: Xi Jinping; then… nothing. Rien. Juste l’embarras. These are not some random fellows interviewed vox-pop on…

Spanish clubs top Forbes football rich list

Post author:Alaa Shamali
Post published:29 May 2026
Post last modified:8 June 2026

Spanish clubs have dominated the global football economy. Real Madrid are ranked the world’s most valuable club in 2026 and Barcelona is second, according to Forbes. Their latest ranking of the most valuable football clubs exposes the growing gap between Spain’s elite clubs and the rest of Europe. Meanwhile, the Premier League has more clubs in the rankings. Spanish clubs at the top Real Madrid remain top of the rankings for a fifth consecutive year, valued at around $9.5bn with revenues of $1.265bn. They are the first club in history to surpass $1.2bn annually. Much of that growth is credited to…

Top seed Sinner exits French Open

Post author:Faz Ali
Post published:29 May 2026
Post last modified:8 June 2026

Jaanik Sinner, the world number one and heavy favourite at Roland Garos, was eliminated in the second round after suffering severe cramp while serving for the match. He led comfortably 6-3, 6-2, 5-1, then his body then gave out and Juan Manuel Cerundo fought back to win in five sets. The tables turn Sinner dominated the opening two sets and moved to 5-1 in the third, appearing own course for a routine finish. Then the match turned, flipping the script entirely. Sinner lost 15 consecutive points across the third set. He called for a medical timeout and received treatment mid game.…

Forbes ranks Ronaldo, Messi, and Benzema among sports top earners in 2026

Post author:Alaa Shamali
Post published:27 May 2026
Post last modified:8 June 2026

The world’s top-earning sportsmen are making billions, according to Forbes’ annual list of the world’s highest-paid athletes. Their earnings reflect ballooning sponsorship deals, investments, and commercial rights. Mega contracts, lucrative brand deals, and sponsors Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo topped the list with a total income of $300 million, driven by a mega contract with Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr and lucrative endorsement deals. Lionel Messi came in fifth globally with $140 million, maintaining his position among sport’s highest-paid athletes. He also retains a strong commercial profile off the pitch. The report confirmed that the total income of the top ten athletes…